Hope after the storm
by Glorioux
Summary: Draco's nature emerges after his family's murder, when Hermione also lost her husband and her daughter Rose, Scorpio's fiancée. Draco facing his wife's betrayal, reconnects with Hermione, who is more than a witch. While trying to solve the murder, old feelings return, and secrets are revealed. It seems their children survived. Will Draco have the one he always wanted? In-Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

* * *

**A Murder**

**Several weeks earlier**

"Did you notice how the Golden trio is not what it used to be, all chummy?" Astoria commented to make conversation. She wanted to distract Draco from the subject that was about to come.

"Why should I be looking at them?" He answered with feigned disinterest, avoiding her eyes.

"Well, the muddy-muddy princess would not even greet Harry," Astoria answered.

Draco's interest was piqued, "Harry, since when is it Harry?" he asked her with his typical raised eyebrow.

Astoria blushed guiltily, "Since the Potters and I were members of the group organizing the fund-raising gala this year, before their divorce. The gala to raise funds to pay the Hogwarts tuitions for all the war orphans. Besides, I see him occasionally at the dinners where we are invited, but you never come. One of us needs to go with Scorpio since he is seeing Miss Weasley."

"What a waste of time. I will write a check and quit wasting time. If you have that much time on your hands, why not think about enlarging our family. You are right; Scorpio will soon be gone unless a miracle happens; besides, it has been a while since we even tried." He looked at her with longing and lust. His hand went under her robes while they were driven in the Bentley property of Malfoy Industries.

Astoria felt his hand, and her breath hitched, not from lust, from revulsion. She did not like the sexual aspect of their relationship. Draco's body did not appeal to her at all, and she already had a lover she wanted. Besides, a child was the one theme that Astoria was trying to avoid, "Darling, not here, the driver," she squirmed, trying to get away from him.

Draco would not relent, it had been over a month since he had her, and he had been calculating, she should be close to her fertile time. His fingers went up a little higher, and he felt desire course through his loins. Leaning on her neck, he gently nipped her and licked her pulse. She tensed but pretended to like it. "Draco, let's do it at home?" At home, she could go to the loo and make sure to cast a charm.

"Hmm, no, here it is, " he pulled out his wand and cast a concealment charm. "Now, where were we? He can neither hear nor see us; neither can anyone from the street." His hand went overtly inside her knickers, looking for her clit, feeling for her entrance, and, hopefully, her desire.

Nope, she was dry, in a husky voice, he asked, "Tory, don't you want me anymore?"

She was hard-pressed for words. She might have wanted Draco way back then, but she had always taken a potion before meeting with him, to feign her lust and desire. She liked her position. One day when Narcissa would be dead, she would be the Chatelaine of Malfoy Manor, all the jewelry and all the power, hers. She could not wait, and she wanted to be free to pursue her social life.

And her occasional flirting, the once in a blue moon illicit tryst, it was the only way for her to get off. These days Harry Potter was on the menu; he was such a fine specimen. Ginny had recently left him for what was his name, Dean, something or other.

Mrs. Weasley was the one who worried her. She was sure that Harry had been in love with the ugly swot forever, and Astoria wanted to keep him as her permanent lover. Only a lover, she waited for her place as the lady Malfoy.

She hated that witch, hence Harry, after all, anyone who had ever experienced interest in Hermione, was game for Astoria. Ron Weasley was also on her list, but a harder nut to crack.

You could say Hermione was an aphrodisiac for her and Pansy Zabini; they had both talked about it and laughed. Both had shagged Cormac and Viktor. And now Harry was the name; he'd been easy pickings, but there was more, she felt something for him.

"Of course I do, I am more than a little sad with Scorpio nearly gone." She was telling a partial truth, with him soon gone, the pressure to try again was upon her, and all she wanted was freedom.

"So it is time to try for a baby now; this is the time." Draco might be gullible, but he was a Malfoy and very astute. He didn't want to give her the chance to take a contraceptive potion or invoke a charm.

He knocked on the partition between themselves and the driver. Frank rolled the partition down a bit. "Franco, how about a leisurely drive along the countryside and take your time. We don't want to be interrupted; make the windows all dark."

With a wave of his wand, "Divestiere." He made the seat wider and turned the small pillows into a mattress with sheets.

**Harry**

Harry was tired; it had been a rough day. The morning started just as the day had progressed, badly. He was very angry with Hermione. She would not listen, now that Rose was nearly engaged, and Hugo would soon be out in Hogwarts, she was going to file for divorce.

Hugo had actually asked her to do it. Ron made his mother cry way too often, and he had seen him with the Lady Malfoy more than once. Hugo had no qualms to repeat this to Uncle Harry, who nearly choked when he listed to his accusations, because Harry had done something reproachable, and perhaps criminal.

Harry had become more aware of Hermione every year, and his desire for her had come back to haunt him relentlessly. He didn't want her to seek a divorce; someone other than Ron would find her and take her away.

Viktor Krum had recently divorced. Divorces almost unheard of before the war were now a common occurrence. Too many had made hasty marriages after the battle that later had gone out the window. Just look at his, he hoped to be single, and then he would welcome Hermione's divorce. For now, he was running late to see his latest. Then again, he would change for Hermione, he would.

When Harry was free, Hermione would be his. He needed to start cleaning house, just a few more flings. Meanwhile, he had to make her wait. Funny, Ron was a straight arrow, but he was still rude and nasty and treated Hermione poorly. As for Lady Malfoy, well, he needed to talk to Hugo again. He had to erase Hugo's memories subtly.

**Draco's Plan**

Astoria was so glad that she had listened to Pansy and gone to the Muggle clinic. They both had a small implant that is what they called it. It worked for six months, she had an appointment today. She had to cancel twice, so hopefully, it was still effective.

The implant was undetectable, Pansy made sure of that since Blaise, her husband, was very jealous, and would check for potions or spells. Since she wanted lovers, Pansy had the device recommended by one of her clients.

Looking at Draco hunkered on top of her made Astoria want to scream. She could see Draco's face changed with lust, but seeming angry, so Astoria closed her eyes, tightly. When Draco kissed her with unbridled passion and forced her mouth open, she nearly gagged. She changed her tactics and thought about shagging Harry. Astoria imagined how good he would look, closed her eyes and pretended it was Harry thrusting away. It did the trick, some moisture came, and Draco went wild.

When they arrived at home, Draco was smiling, he opened his hand, he had a small bottle with something inside, "Your Muggle device, to prevent babies. I've known you don't want babies, so I took it out some days ago." His mother had found a receipt

**Months Later- The Day After-**

Draco looked around and saw the well-wishers with cynic eyes. How many of those here felt real sorrow, the answer, not many.

Here he was 38 years old, a widower, an orphan, and had lost his only son, all in one day. He felt numb inside, and angry as well, at so many betrayals.

Mr. Malfoy, I know that this is not a good time, but we need to talk. I have some questions."

"Ah, it's you. I guess…never mind, follow me."

Harry Potter walked behind him. They sat on opposite couches. Draco pulled his wand, and without any apparent charm, two glasses appeared. He took one and just pointed, "Firewhisky, 120 years old."

He drank over one-fourth of the glass in one sip. He pointed the wand again, and two glasses with iced water appeared as well. He took a small sip from one.

Harry just looked at him. "Sorry about your losses, I cannot even imagine." He looked at Draco straight on.

A large white owl hooted from a perch, it was a lament, a sound of deep mourning. Harry also noticed two dogs by the fire, laying there listless. Two tiny owls sat perched on Draco's neck, one had a wing around Draco's neck, trying to comfort him.

The air was heavy with sorrow and the feel of darkness. Once again, Harry saw that Draco was nearly a carbon copy of Lucius when he had seen him the first time, but dressed in dark Muggle clothes with an open robe. His hair was braided down his back. Draco was not as broad, yet powerful, a large, deadly feline.

Harry was watching him when he noticed how Draco observed him with unadulterated dislike.

"I am sure you cannot." Draco tapped his bottom lip, "Or, hmm, maybe, yes, considering, after all, you lost Astoria and your unborn child." His eyes were cold and full of menace.

Harry lowered his eyes, he also drank and grimaced, "Smooth yet strong, "his voice shook, "about that, I cannot say that I was blameless; this is not an excuse, but I was quite drunk. As you know, my wife left me recently, she left for Dean Thomas. Apparently, they have been together for a while. After the first time, we saw each other twice. I will take Veritaserum if yo…"

"Stop it, I don't care," Draco raised his hand, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. Draco remembered a month after the car incident, about Tori and her fucking lies.

Draco could see Tori seducing him, "Darling, you were right, with Scorpio leaving, I want another child. Perhaps we will be lucky, I am ovulating." He had been pleasantly surprised, she no longer seemed to want him. He had heard rumors, but they had to be wrong. They had gone away for a weekend, and sure enough, 'she got pregnant.'

"Good, I need your version, your statement will be confirmed. As you know, there was little evidence left, ahem." Harry moved restlessly.

"Let's cut this short. Thursday night, Scorpio brought his girlfriend, Miss Weasley, to meet my parents. My father had not changed his ways and didn't want Scorpio to marry her. Her grandfather Mr. Weasley accompanied his son, who didn't want to come alone. I was detained at the office by Mr. Weasley, Percy; he needed my signature on the transfer of funds to help pay for the construction of the new healing facility. " Draco closed his eyes and drank the glass in one gulp.

"I just arrived when I heard the explosions on the terrace. It was already too late when we Apparated outside. I went out with only one of my employees; all the others at the Manor, including the animals, had been exposed to a magical sleeping gas." Draco sounded remote.

Draco stood and walked in circles, now he had two tiny owls perched on his shoulders, the one kept patting his neck with a wing, "It was awful, you have seen the photos. Nobody was alive. We saw three people, not sure if witches or wizards moving around.

They wore helmets, yes, silver helmets, and metallic vests; almost like Death Eater masks, but also a headcover, and hooded capes with the hoods down. They apparated away as I was firing my wand. You know the rest."

He stopped but lifted his hand, "Before you asked, I didn't like my son's choice either, but respected his decision. Not because of Granger, but because of Weasley. If my father weren't one of the…well…" he looked away, "I would have said he was responsible, but something went wrong. Please, pass my sympathies to Mrs. Weasley, I understand that she was traveling and couldn't come."

Draco raised an eyebrow, had Harry Potter just blushed. Interesting. Harry was looking uncomfortable. Was Mrs. Weasley one of his harem? He hoped not.

"Be ready, several forensic teams will be here to examine the site," Harry advised wanting to end this interrogation.

"About you and my mother. You also lost her." Draco was pure darkness.

"I don't want to discuss her with you," Harry was feeling ill.

Draco went for the kill, „I forgot, I changed Rose back, I wanted to spare Mrs. Weasley. She was your daughter, of course, you knew that."

Harry ran to waste-basket and threw up. Draco realized that Harry didn't know.

"You get around. It hurts, doesn't it? There is a WC thru that door, now if would you excuse me?" Draco left the room, not looking back. Best that way, he had wanted to kill Harry. But he gained nothing. Draco ] could care less when he heard Harry's sobs, he hoped Harry hurt as much as he did.

a/N- be prepared to be surprised


	2. Grief

**Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux **

**GRIEVING**

**Hermione**

"Mrs. Weasley, your 15:00 appointment is here."

Hermione felt sick, she couldn't even function.

Draco had only seen her from far away, and her beauty hit him hard. Her proximity did something to him. Just like in Hogwarts, but that was long ago. No wonder Weasley loved her. If he had the freedom to choose, she would have been it.

Not with his father, even when he told him she was the one, knowing the implications, he remembered, _"So? Your mother wasn't mine either. My father refused to accept our nature; he did something to block us. Not after seeing what it did to my grandfather, ah, the good that did my grandfather. He killed himself when she died, sharing our long lives didn't protect her against murderers; same with everyone else in our family."_

When Draco asked who was his one, his father wouldn't tell him. Lucius Malfoy was forever bitter. His father, who looked years younger, just like him, was unhappy.

"Oh, I didn't know you had company," he told Hermione when he saw the giant sitting near her.

"Not company, guards, my father insisted, I had death threats. Moreover, when he finally learned about the, ahem, in your home. Val, please leave, tell Zuva to pick up her things alone."

Draco could have sworn he heard growls at her words and looked at the giant. Slavic, he guessed, dressed in dark clothes. The tall males all over the place were wizards; he saw the power, and he could see that their magic was strong.

No, not wizards mind you, something full of power. He had heard about such beings from Dolohov. Many swore they were otherworldly. They were secretive groups living in isolated places in Russia.

"Your parents, I thought they were Muggles."

"I used to think the same until they found about the battle, not important. Let's just say that they were a tad angry."

"Are they Russian?"

"Something like that."

She looked at Draco, he was alive and Ron dead, not fair. She had talked to Ron, and he had cried. He confessed his anger was the fear that he wasn't good enough. As to Narcissa he had taken Veritaserum, he had never been unfaithful, she had been his only one. Somebody had done him wrong, now she was almost certain who that someone had been.

Draco had never stood so close to her; he was feeling odd, drunk.

Draco looked around, the room was exquisite. Scorpio had said the Grangers were rich. He remembered.

_Scorpio was arguing after he started seeing Rose._

_"Papa do you know who Rose is. What is wrong with Rose? She is magical and very gifted. She is maybe richer than us."_

_His father was disgusted, "What she is not is a Pureblood. A grandchild of those paupers, of Molly Weasley no, she is not for you." Draco had then suspected that his father had loved Molly_

Weasley and it was why he hated the family. Every time Molly was mentioned, he was distressed.

"Don't worry about Rose, I changed her back, Your secret is safe, nobody saw that she was Harry's daughter. Did you know about the invitation and why didn't you come?"

Hermione's head was spinning; she didn't know herself. She had the baby early and went to an especial clinic. Her parents must have done it. She broke out in tears. But how could that have been, what was happening?

Hermione was sobbing, he stood up to sit by her. Draco put his arm around her shoulders. She couldn't understand what was happening how could she have lost her daughter and husband; and Rose, no, that was all…

"I don't want you to think ill of me, I had no idea about Rose. My parents must have done it, I was very sick when I had Rose. I don't remember being with Harry. I didn't know she was his child, but who knows I was very traumatized. Ron was in love with me, you see, I loved both. We had talked about a triad, but he had other plans. Ron was a good husband, I got the best of the two. I was in love with Harry, but he announced his marriage to Ginny. We had a terrible fight over a witch Harry was seeing. Ron and I were shocked. We grew apart, Harry, oh well."

"Was the one he was seeing it my mother?"

He moved closer to her, having her sit so close was messing his mind. This was an odd new feeling; it was like being high on a potion.

She blushed and looked down. A stranger came into the room. "Ermi, is Mother, excuse me I didn't know you were busy. "

"Mr. Malfoy, my brother, Eloy, Mother is not here."

"I wasn't aware you had a brother, my son never mentioned him."

"He was born when I was done in Hogwarts. He just came back this morning, he was abroad."

They seemed to be the same age. Mrs. Weasley didn't look to be but in her early twenties.

"I will talk to you later, we are going to go over to check the site; I guess you don't want to come."

Hermione shook her head, "No, I cannot, please don't take Hugo with you. He has been waiting for you, and he is as stubborn as you."

"No, your in-laws are coming, Bill and Charlie, and they are also in shock. no wonder, they lost three family members in one day. The 'brothers' are also coming. Be forewarned, they told our parents no more waiting. I think they mean it, so sorry, bye darling." He came to her and kissed her forehead.

"Eloy, please keep them away, it is too soon, please," Hermione pleaded.

Her brother kissed her again, "I will try, maybe if we set a date even much later, they will be satisfied."

Hermione nodded, "Try, I understand." She looked resigned. She turned towards Draco, who looked aghast. Was she promised elsewhere? It made him upset. He was already dreaming away.

"So your question, I knew about the invitation, but I declined it. Frankly, your father's condescending attitude was too much. Besides, I felt very uncomfortable around your mother. You see, there is more." Although Hermione wouldn't tell him about Narcissa and Ron, a very nasty suspicion was settling in.

Hermione wanted to runaway from there. How could Rose be Harry's Daughter? The last two days seemed like a nightmare. She wished that she could push the clock back. Her father had offered something, but she was hesitant, she had to think. The consequences were unpredictable.

Another knock at the door, "Madame, Mr. Potter…"

Hermione interrupted, "Tell him to make an appointment in a year." She said the last very softly.

"He says he is here officially."

"Tell him to come back."

Already back, Harry had come to comfort her, no, she couldn't believe it. Her brother wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Let me handle him." Draco noticed how her brother seemed even taller. Bloody hell, he was a giant, over two meters tall.

Hermione nodded.

Draco grinned when her brother left. Hermione looked at him, wondering why he looked amused, "Sorry for smiling, you are surrounded by giants, even your brother, and you are so, ahem, tiny?"

She had to smile, "Yes, I am. The height is inherited, giant males, tiny females. Rose…never mind."

He knew Rose was tiny as well, Scorpio liked that, Draco remembered…_his father wondered if there was something wrong with Scorpio. "Are you a pervert? You like her because she looks like a young witch?" He had looked at Draco as well, knowing his secret._

_Scorpio had laughed, "No, because I can pick her up easily, no magic, and be very creative."_

_He had winked at Lucius._

_Lucius had blushed at his son and grandson's naughty laughter, "Like father, like son," he harrumphed, and they had laughed even louder. Lucius shook his head, annoyed._

Tears clouded her eyes.

He moved again closer to her, Hermione could not help it, all the last two days trying to hold it, now she broke in sobs, the pain was destroying her, her darling child gone.

Draco held her close to his chest, his eyes also clouded with tears. They both sat there until Hermione calmed down, rubbing her back gently. Later he would recall the peace he felt. She didn't feel like a stranger, she wasn't, they had been enemies, but they were so young, now, they were old acquaintances sharing a terrible pain. At least that is how he saw it. But the peace he felt, never before had he thought to her breasts.

He felt her body relax; she had gone to sleep. She had slept maybe a few hours during the last days.

Draco sat back. The room was warm. Two small dogs jumped on the couch to sit by her, they stared, he tried to keep his eyes open, he couldn't.

**Waking up**

Draco opened his eyes, disoriented. He held his wife closer. Gods, he had missed Tori, it had been years since she was so relaxed. He nuzzled her neck. As his father had told him, he could learn to love and to care. She smelled different. He was hard at once; his hands moved to her breasts.

A loud cough woke him up completely, a stranger sat across, looking at him, Where was he at?

He remembered he had fallen asleep. He lowered his hands fast.

The stranger made signs for him to stay, pointing at Hermione. Obviously, he wanted her to continue sleeping. He sat looking at Draco, observing him. Another one came in, another of the giants. He made a sign for Draco to release her slowly; the stranger stood up, with great care picked up Hermione, who stayed asleep.

Draco stood up when she had been taken.

He fixed to leave, "Mr. Granger wants you to wait, please." The one who just arrived told Draco.

Another brother? Draco asked himself, everyone seemed to be related.

"I am her father," Draco heard a voice, he was back.

Wow, he looked at his daughter's age, and Granger seemed so young. "Why are you here? You aren't welcome. Your family has brought ours nothing but pain, we should have left long ago, but our daughter fell in love. Why are you here? You never came before."

"True, I apologize, my son kept it all secret. We thought it was just young love. How to say that seeing Hermione would be painful. He had avoided her all his life. Draco could swear the man knew his thoughts. "The first thing I heard of Scorpio's intentions was when he planned to bring them about three weeks before. I came because I want to find out who did it."

'Wasn't you?" He looked at Draco, his face was hard, carved in granite.

"No, of course not. I think...never mind. No, not possible, I loved my family, I still do."

Draco went home, confused. He went by the Gazebo. He recognized the ginger hair, and also the Granger brother, though he didn't have his sister's hair, he thought that he was way over 2 meters (6' 7") tall.

They were picking up dust. The area was already enclosed inside a clear dome. "There is so little left, I've not seen much of this destruction, ever."

He remembered the second explosion, he had seen the bodies, changed Rose back when he felt the rumble. When Drexel was by him and took him away. The bodies of the dead had turned into ashes.

He looked at two strangers, seemingly twins, they had long hair, Slavic features, hard-looking but physically perfect. They wore dark glasses that they took off to look at him with disdain. They wore heavy metal cuffs. Their hair was beige, weird, the eyes nearly yellow. The strangers carried thin cylinders across their back.

Draco concluded that they must be the brothers. Their clothing was unusual. Their garments were different, foreign.

One came forward, "Hope that you are clean. Whoever hurt the princess is already dead, and it won't be an easy death. Her daughter could have anyone of her choosing, not more human rubbish. You are rubbish because we know what your family did to her. You are all lucky that her family is so noble, we aren't. Your infamy is well known, your entire family would be dead if not because of the princess' kind heart."

Before Draco could answer, they were gone into thin air.

Drexel, his employee, a powerfully magical being, a Mountain Gargoyle, warned him, "Do you know the ones outside? You must know them. They are not from here; be careful they are very, very, angry; and they blame you for it."

Draco already suspected that they were unusual, what he saw wasn't magic. Many came over daily to investigate while he looked himself. The days went by, and Draco couldn't stop thinking about Hermione. He dreamed about her, not particularly chaste dreams.

He would occasionally see the brothers and others coming to take measurements. The Aurors had been all over the Manor and had found nothing.

Today he was going over findings. Drexel was there, "You have a visitor."

"Tell them I am not in."

"You'll want to see her." Drexel insisted.

It was Hermione with two bodyguards. Draco's heart skipped a beat.

'"Please come in," he invited her into a smaller room in the library. Hermione at his home, it made him hope.


	3. Proposals

Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

**Old Dreams Come True**

It was Hermione, with the two bodyguards.

'"Please come in," he invited her into a smaller room in the library.

Her bodyguards sniffed the air and were making aggressive sounds. Draco was sure that they turned bigger. Who were these people?

"Sorry," she said, "they sense my pain in this house, from you know when."

Draco paled, "So sorry, I had the main room closed since I saw you last, and ordered to destroy all the rooms that housed my crazy aunt and her cohorts."

"Wait outside," Hermione ordered.

"Sorry, my Lady, cannot do, your fathers orders were specific."

"You work for me, stay out."

Draco noticed a different demeanor, regal he would say.

They gave up, and Hermione walked inside.

A small golden owl landed on her shoulder, and to Draco's surprise, caressed her face with a wing. Then she pecked Hermione's ear softly.

She grinned, and his heart stopped for a second. Old feelings came back on like a stampede of wild horses. They had been at the surface of the meeting days ago. To his dismay, he had erotic dreams about her, daily; wet dreams every night. He couldn't stop thinking about her.

Tory was far away, the weight of her betrayal weighed heavily. Draco had found out her daybook; Tory wrote that Harry was one of several lovers.

It seemed that Pansy and Tory had a penchant for anyone who ever has loved or liked Hermione, or was a dear friend to her. Ron declined them; he wasn't game. Actually, all the Weasley men turned her down; it angered her. She had tried to seduce each one of them more than once. He had made a lot of errors in judgment.

The worse was that Tory had never loved him, she wanted the name and the fortune, nothing else. And she was in love with Harry and hoped he would ask her to marry him.

The second owl flew from Draco's shoulder to Hermione's, and Draco saw something he never had before. The owls were combing her long hair with their beaks, and they were quite good. Hermione was laughing, delighted. The air felt lighter, the guards outside grinned.

Waves of positive, happy energy, untainted with sadness, reached them, and also him. It was a heady feeling, something different, no wonder she kept Harry Potter sane. Who was Hermione? He remembered Scorpio saying Rose made him happy beyond words. Who were Hermione's people?

"I didn't know they were hair-owls," Hermione laughed when they started braiding her hair, an elaborate French braid.

"Me neither. I had the hair-owls all my life; Hera, Vera, be careful. I hope they are not bothering you." Draco looked amused at the fey owls' antics. With their magic, they were adorning the braids with tiny stones.

She shook her head, "I am not familiar with them; who are they."

The large white owl, wearing a gold medallion, moved to perch set in the back of the couch, Draco heard his voice, "I am under a contract that expires 30 days after your father's demise. I am going with my lady afterward. It will be an honor." Draco sighed.

He told her their story and added they liked nobody but him, until now. Scorpio had tried unsuccessfully to attract them. Astoria was their enemy, they wouldn't tolerate her; moreover, she was afraid of them. They used to like his grandfather before him.

Before they sat, the second surprise came. The giant wolfhounds stood and walked to Hermione. They stood in front of her and pushed her hands. They wanted to be pet; their tails were wagging.

"And who are these handsome gentlemen," she patted and scratched them, talking all kind of nonsense. They seemed to be in dog heaven and licked her hands gently. Draco was fascinated. The air had changed; the sadness seemed gone.

"They are Brutus and Negus. Neither one of them has ever liked anyone else, nobody outside of Scorpio, myself, and my father. The dogs were my father's, but this is a first-ever."

"It is I, other creatures like me, it is on our nature," Vera hooted, agreeing. When Draco called them, they looked away. L' Roy just looked at Draco haughtily; at least he wasn't mournful anymore.

"I hope you are not planning to take my only companions away," he teased.

The owls hooted twice, he understood, she stayed, or they were leaving. He worried, the owls were hundreds of years old. They had been in the Malfoy family for centuries, but the story was that they came waiting for someone; some said they were lost and came to wait, probably for her. During the Dark Lord stay, they had gone to the Malfoy Island, they left with the brothers and much of their magical staff.

As for L'Roy, a Lord from the dark realms, not really an owl, well, he could try to sway him. "No you cannot, any of my brethren would want to be in my place. You should be on your knees, you don't deserve her. When my brethren know about her, they will be at her door, begging. She is pure joy. The best I felt in my long life. You cannot buy this feeling."

Hermione was thoughtful, "Maybe, I could invite one as my guest. I feel better already." Both hooted at the same time.

Draco could hear the guards laughing, one told the other, "He doesn't know what comes next; no pet is safe." Draco suspected that much.

"We will talk about it." He saw the advantage, an excuse to be close to her. Right then, she looked like a queen surrounded by her magical court. Even Magnolia, the old Kneazle, his father's ornery feline, jumped on the already crowded couch, to sit stuck to Hermione. He took a photography maker and shot three times. She looked like a Fae Queen surrounded by her fairy court.

Drexel came in, sir, "Please..." He stopped when he saw Hermione; he went on a knee and lowered his head, "My Lady, at your service."

Drexel uncovered his head, now Draco was baffled, Drexel and his two brothers never took off their hats. Draco only saw him without once, defending him. They were not human, their hair was soft like goats hair, they had short horns, and their legs could turn into goat's legs.

They were called mountain gargoyles because, during a battle, their skin would turn to stone, and they would turn into giants; they were armies of one. They liked to live in steep mountains, hence the legs. Drexel and his brethren resided in Malfoy Island. The island located in an in-between, not quite in this world. They had come hundreds of years ago, maybe thousands. There were only males of their kind, not many. Their females and their world had been destroyed by the Dark hordes.

Hermione touched his shoulder, "Please stand up, there is no need for this."

Drexel raised his head, "My brothers and I are your servants. We will avenge your child."

Hermione nodded, "Then be it, thanks." She was bloodthirsty. "I will be grateful, the guilty should pay with their lives."

"From now on, one of us will be with you at all times." Drexel didn't ask.

Draco nodded, he wanted her safe. He would ask later, but why hadn't this happen in 1998?

It was as if she could read his mind. "At the time, I didn't know who I was. It is irrelevant."

Draco understood she was able to hear his thoughts or some at least.

Hermione evaluated Draco. He was Lucius, and Sirius, as well. A Malfoy and a Black, his hair had definite waves. He was a beautiful male. She had seen him from far away, when he came to the MoM, she stayed away. She disliked the Malfoy. But since the day he came to see her, something had triggered inside; he was compatible and then some. Her mother was concerned since her parents wanted to leave. Rose's loss weighed heavily on everyone.

Hermione had other pressures, the twin brothers wanted a commitment. The twin brothers came from an underworld. Like many others like them, they tried to control the gates between worlds, hence an on-going war. They accepted peace if Hermione would marry them. They worried that Hermione would be the next to be killed and wanted to take her away.

The peace was tenuous. At present, the twins demanded an allegiance, they have been behind her mother's abduction, and something had gone wrong. They took her mother to force them to turn Hermione to them. They wanted what Hermione could give them happiness.

They knew the answer but didn't like it.

"Hi, may I call you Draco?" She asked- when they were alone. Before he could answer, tea arrived. He had ordered a tea service that was brought by four elves. Draco raised his eyebrow, "What is this, how many need to help?"

"We wants to see the Miss Grangy, the bestess for elves. We is all happiest she be here." Young Pretzel announced, a little pushy. Or in other words, Hermione was a folk heroine, their heroine.

Draco was annoyed when they served the tea and stayed on. All their staff came, seven elves to serve tea, the others came to bring different things. They all stood near, staring at Hermione, not even blinking, smiling, not sad after all the gloom.

"Go on now."

"We waits, maybe you needs something. We is waiting on Miss Grangy. It is polite, we stay." Axel, usually so obedient, announced forcefully. He didn't sound obedient at all.

"No, you don't stay. Leave right now, I will call you, out," Draco huffed, they were always obedient.

She covered her mouth and giggled, Draco smiled back. This was the best he had felt since that horrible day. He stared and pointed the finger at the elves, and they left mumbling and grumbling of his unfairness, blocking them from 'The Grangy.' How they were less sad and so on, reminding they also had feelings, and he was being selfish. Hermione chuckled the entire time. They pop away one by one, slowly, but not quietly, when the elves were gone, he answered.

"Ah, yes, call me Draco, of course, Hermione?" The name sounded good.

"Ah, hmm, call me Ermi, or Mimi, either, my name for friends. It is closer to my real name."

His heart fluttered.

"Ermi, so why are you here? Not that I mind, come whenever you want, unless you want to steal my friends, and then, I might object." He realized that he was flirting.

"Two things, first, my brother, Teddy, and my son didn't find any traces of either Rose or your son. Second, err, there were traces of a Potter-Greengrass baby." She blushed, "traces of your father were also gone."

Draco's face registered zero surprises, "Continue, I already knew, your friend, err, well, stay away from him." He meant Harry, and she knew it.

Hermione nodded, "No need to say it. I know it."

"How is that there are no traces of them. I had them analyzed and came to the same conclusion. How? I saw them all dead."

"No idea, we are looking into it, I will confess that it makes me hopeful, or worried. Although you would have found out what I am about to say, I want an unbreakable."

"There is no need," he pulled out his wand and a small knife before she could object, he pricked his finger and pointed the wand. "From now on, what you tell me stays with us unless you wish otherwise."

A thin rope appeared and went around both their wrists. Draco showed her his finger; he had a small red freckle.

"Malfoy magic," Draco was unapologetic.

She didn't tell him that her views about blood 'magic' had radically changed, and all was well.

Hermione stood up. In her place, someone else stood, it was her, yet it wasn't. Draco couldn't tell her skin color, it made Hermione blend with the environment. Her eyes were nearly colorless, her hair the color of autumn foliage and rather wild; she was narrower. It lasted for a few seconds. She took his breath away.

"Before you ask. I didn't find out that I was different until after the battle; my grandparents, both sets, came and revealed it in a fit of anger. They wanted to take me away. It was an awful fight; my parents were mad at me for lying so much. If Dumbledore were alive at the time, he wouldn't have been for long. About your aunt, they wanted to go back in the past and tear her apart, limb by limb. My parents were furious for a while, but the worst punishment was losing my freedom, guards from thereon. For now let's say, I am not human, or not much, probably 'borrowed.'"

He was frozen in place, but asked, "Russia?"

"In a way, I will explain later. Let's say a place accessible thru Russia. We think that someone took our children's bodies; for what reason, we don't know. But we hope that they are alive somewhere. Though I am not sure what happened to your father. There are mixed opinions, maybe he wasn't even there. We are not certain."

Tears rolled down his cheeks, "I hope that is true, I suppose. About my good son, he hated what my father stood for. I do hope; how can we find out? My father was there, I saw his body, mangled, bleeding. Who knows. Scorpio was the best of us since he was a toddler, he was different. He saw Rose when he was four at Diagon Alley, you weren't there. It was at Fortescue, when he saw her, he looked at me and said, "my dolly." I grinned and recently reminded him of that day. You know what he said? He said that he remembered."

Hermione and Draco both cried quietly for a few minutes. He was itching to tell her about the first time he saw her during the train ride. He also thought that she was a tiny doll, he remembered thinking, 'my dolly.' Like Scorpio, he never forgot 'his dolly.'

"We need to work together, my parents think that I should stay here with my son, brother, and Teddy. And of course some of my guards. I am taking a sabbatical from my work at the MoM.

"Teddy, as in Teddy Lupin?"

"Yes, he works for my father, he, my son and my brother have started a new business, they are more like brothers. Your aunt lives in our land. She has for a while. Did you know that your mother refused to see her? She denied her of her only family?"

"I know," he was ashamed.

"Your aunt is married to one in our staff, to someone like me. You should visit her sometime. She is changed, you might be surprised, you have a cousin, a young one."

Hermione realized that Draco was dressed in a strange get-up. An open robe, worn over leather trousers, soft boots, and a tunic-like theirs with unusual9 stitching. Her mother was right, it had to be. How strange not to have known before.

"Your clothes, they are different."

"Yes, they are Malfoy traditional house clothes. My father didn't like them, but my grandfather did, Scorpio also liked them."

She would be living under his roof. It was like a good dream, he used to dream about it knowing that it would never happen.

Of course, it sounded beautiful.

**Before**

"Here try this," he didn't know what he was doing, but he moved to next to her and fed her a small pastry.

Hermione opened her mouth and took it from his hand, letting his fingers linger on her lips for a second, and he turned red again, "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend."

"No offense." His proximity was making her feel odd, out sorts. She remembered when she found him hiding at Hogwarts; she felt the same, affinity, really desire. She hadn't welcomed it then.

"Well, that is out the way, the next. It is a difficult subject, and I decided it is best if I tell you." She looked stressed.

"Between my people, females are highly revered. They are the life makers. My parents are important for their people, and with Rose gone, my parents are worried. You see, my mother was captured after my brother was born and cannot have more children; she was injured...she was taken once before by those old hopefuls. She has been taken four times." She paused.

"Normally we have children every 17-20 years with our husbands, and I guess that is the reason Hugo came soon after Rose. She was Harry's daughter, as to the how, who knows, I wasn't with him for at least three years before I was pregnant with Rose, I think that he polyjuiced as Ron. That would be a crime."

Draco felt murderous, "Maybe he was left with a taint."

Hermione nodded, "We think so; that wasn't him before, but it is his call; he is not seeking help."

"So what you need?" Draco had ideas.

"My family indicates that I need to have another child or more. Harry is out the question," she blushed.

"I am not compatible with him, no longer, I am most unhappy. He had come around daily, and frankly, after Rose, when I told them my theories, he is less than welcome. After my parents learned and found more, they want punishment. I'll share something else, Hugo saw Ron with your mother, not Ron, it was probably Harry. My parents suspect that he might have come to me as Ron, maybe until recently. When I think about it," she shuddered lightly, "well, never mind. He must be using strong dark magic, probably found in the Black Library."

"He should be put away, that is rape," anger was making him boil inside; you didn't take the one you love by force. The idea that this happened to her made him extremely upset.

"My family is considering it. I don't want to dwell on it. Now, I think you need an heir, and although it is too soon, I want to propose a union between us. My parents say it will work," she didn't add why.

Draco was tongue-tied, he had never wanted to marry again. Astoria was forced down his throat, but this was an old unattainable dream. Something was telling him to agree.

"And Harry, how will he feel? You loved him, I am certain you did."

"Who cares." She meant it. Her heart was closed to him.

He held her hand, "Hermione, will you marry me?" He asked, smiling crookedly, uncertain, afraid of the answer.

a/n a comment: Veelas in the Slavic Mythology were females sirens. According to numerous legends and literary works of fiction had the power to entrance any man, seducing him to his death in a variety of ways, the most common of which were draining his energy or driving him to a state of over-obsessed, feeble mindedness. Moreover, Samodivas had other sinister powers, such as throwing fire from their clawed hands after turning into menacingly looking monstrous birds.

A female's son has Veela blood, it is true. Will the son be a harpy? Why not? The Veelas of Harry Potter were females, who knows, it is all fantasy and fiction. You can make up whichever you wish. HP has modified traditional mythology, and that is fine as well.

As far as this story goes, let's wait. :)


	4. New

Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

A/n more clarification. Does Draco have an inner other, he does, he has said it. As to what it is we need to wait. I stick to old Mythology when referring to creatures of regional lore. Otherwise, my imagination is allowed to roam free. May 2020 be a good year.

* * *

**New Horizons**

Draco waited anxiously, not for long.

Hermione smiled, "Draco, yes, I will; I will marry you."

"When?" His heartbeat accelerated. He was crazy, he wanted it to be soon, like tomorrow.

"As soon as possible." She didn't tell him the other reason, she would need a child to stay; though they didn't have long, less than a year. The brothers who had pursued her since birth, had set a time several years in the future. It was all the same to them. Their cousin could simply move them to that date, across time once there was an agreement. She wanted to stay to have time to find out who was behind the murder. Besides, she needed another daughter; and her brother, son, and Teddy wanted to find wives.

If a year went by without a child, her grandparents would make sure her family would leave, they wanted then back. However, the child would anchor them again. In their world, females might be scarce, but the grandparents never liked this idea. They liked this reality, but not enough to risk the lives of their family. The occasional visits thru the portals in the place called Russia were enough. With the loss of Rose, the idea of more mishaps was unthinkable. Too bad blood-samples were not collected while Rose was alive. But no more of risking their lives; the grandparents had warned them.

Draco held her hand. Again, it filled him with peace.

An urgent knock at the door interrupted them.

"Mr. Malfoy," Drexel came, "A Floo call, Mr. and Mrs. Zabinni."

Draco's mouth soured, he should have told Hermione about his suspicions, now there wasn't time.

Hermione felt him tensing.

Blaise was already at the door, he looked angry. He pointed at Hermione, "Tell her to leave. We must talk alone. "

Pansy looked pale but not upset enough to give Hermione a venomous look.

Draco stood noticed, "You need to leave if you are rude to her…" Hermione shook her head; nobody should know until it was done.

Draco 'heard' Hermione inside, "Please, don't say much, don't trust Pansy."

"She is my trusted friend, whatever you need to say in front of her," Draco told Blaise.

"So be it," Blaise came in, dragging Pansy. They sat on different chairs.

"So, I see, you are already with the Mu…" Pansy started.

"Say that word, and I will never speak to you again," Draco threatened her.

"You are polluted like your son." Pansy spewed.

"Pansy, don't force me," Draco was angry and discharging nasty dark magic. Hermione felt ill, dark magic did that to her. She had become extremely sensitive.

Suva and Val came in along with Drexel.

"Tell them to leave," Blaise ordered.

"They stay," Hermione answered firmly.

She pulled her wand out and called a silencing charm. She smiled secretly, it wouldn't affect either her men nor the Mountain Gargoyles; she had recognized the mythical creatures, once knights for her people. She had an incredible gift for them, she would surprise them. They had lost them and now found them, right under the noses. That they chose to serve the Malfoy gave her hope for Draco; she needed to talk to him.

"Speak," Draco ordered. Pansy noticed that Draco was holding her hand, "It didn't take long," Pansy remarked nastily.

Blaise was looking at Hermione, not sure if he liked Pansy's behavior. Hermione was the MoM, and his mother thought highly of her. She had told him that he had been blind not to go for her. Too late, his mother was right, but Draco was free to choose. Blaise thought of his bad luck. If he were able, he would try for her.

"One more word and my mother will know." Blaise growled, "Mrs. Weasley is your MoM, be careful."

Draco ignored Pansy's jab.

"Your bloody father forced Pansy. I was told they were together, and she said she was forced. She is pregnant, not with my child. "

"She is lying, I read Astoria's book; Pansy and she shagged many wizards, or at least four of them, if not more. Give her Veritable," Draco suggested.

Pansy lied, "Yes, he forced me," she insisted.

Draco stood up, put his hand over Pansy, she squirmed.

"If it were a Malfoy baby, we could see him when I laid my hand over her womb, but nothing."

"Maybe it is too soon for you to see, but if she is pregnant, I won't raise a bastard, and she'll go alone. My children stay with me."

"So be it, but it is interesting. Astoria hinted as to who was Pansy's lover. If you want to know, you are welcome to read the diary."

Blaise was fuming. "Let's go. You are under lock and key, and you cannot be around the children. My mother was right."

Pansy stood up; she was not fighting, "Thank the universe that the Malfoy house won't be poll…"

Draco pointed his wand and sealed her lips until she stopped, then released her.

"Never come back…" he stopped in mid-sentence, his eyes zeroed on Pansy's finger, she wore the Malfoy's promise ring.

"What is that?"

"I bought it, let's go," she hurried but the door locked. Draco pointed the wand, and the ring fell on his hand.

It was engraved, 'Malfoy.' "It is my family's promise ring." Draco ascertained.

Blaise made an awful face. Pansy was avoiding him. "So, you were forced, likely story."

Draco was uneasy; he remembered that Rose had the ring, or did she?

Hermione saw his face after they left.

"What is wrong?" She asked.

"I don't know, I have a strange feeling. Pansy is lying, she is dangerous."

"What do you know?" Hermione asked.

"It is complicated," he told her about the contraceptives. He also went over Pansy and Astoria being lovers with any male that had ever liked Hermione. But not the Weasley men, although they tried."

It upset Hermione. "Poor Ginny, saddled with Harry. He has complex problems. Otherwise, he is straight, not corrupt. I don't know what happened to him." It was better not to talk about Harry.

"I need to go, please come and meet my family, you should ask my fathers." The owls were stuck to her and wouldn't look in his direction, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Why do you keep saying fathers, do you have more than one?" Draco looked at her grinning.

"Uh uh, come and meet my family."

"Vera, Hera, stay come." He called the owls again.

They refused to budge, he remember what his father had told him,_ "One day they might choose someone else, your wife, your child; read about them_." Thus far the Fey owls had never liked Astoria and were cool to Scorpio.

"You can take them, and I will pick them up tonight?" Draco gave up.

The owls hooted, the dogs were more loyal, Lucius' dogs and his Kneazle stayed. Although, Magnolia meowed the entire day, mournfully. Not even hot milk or fresh tuna would make her feel well. Finally, he decided to bring her to 'visit' Hermione, knowing the drill; Magnolia was probably gone. L'Roy told him, "I will stay until my contract is over. Then, I am history."

After Hermione left, Draco stayed standing for a while, still in awe. He called Mipzy, and the other elves. He also called Drexel, Braxtar, and Axiom, "I know that it is too soon, but we will be having a wedding in a couple of days. We need to it properly, let's get the Manor ready."

"Are you marrying Miss Grangy?" Axel asked, the elves wanted to know.

"It looks that way." Draco grinned.

He had, once again, never seen this, the elves danced holding hands singing strange songs. The house felt lighter. They were celebrating, he could hear his name and Miss Grangy's mentioned.

His heart was feeling a little lighter, maybe Scorpio had survived, wouldn't that be something. His father must have been with Pansy, he was disgusted, worse, perhaps they planned the entire thing, but something was off. His father never had lovers, he still pinned for whoever. He slept apart from his mother since he could remember. There was no love between them. He was going to find who was the one. It made him angry that they all had to be unhappy. But, who had decided that they should be miserable, and why did they have the right?

"Drexel, we need to hire more guards."

"No, we will do it, no guards are needed. Our life for hers."

Draco nodded.

Draco went to the vault and started looking. Several of the family jewels were gone. Perhaps there was a robbery. Perhaps they were looking at this all wrong. What was gone was worth millions, hundreds when you thought about it. He also found his father's secret, when he did, he cried for his father. The tear-stained pictures tore his heart. The anger at his and his father's misery returned.

Later he was told he had a visitor.

"Mr. Potter," Draco addressed Harry curtly.

"I a few questions for you."

"Not today, I am busy."

Harry ignored him. "Did you know that your father was seeing Pansy Zabinni, were you jealous? Mr. Zabinni informed us."

"Listen, I was upset when I found out that Astoria's child wasn't mine, my mother was quite upset. My father wanted to see the baby's sex, and we couldn't see it. Not possible since she was over 18 weeks pregnant. My mother using Black magic, determined that the baby wasn't mine. I think my father planned to kill Rose, maybe my mother, and the Weasley, but something went wrong. Surely, he must have had an accomplice, and who knows, maybe he was betrayed. Or maybe he didn't do it."

No, his father had made sure he had to wait to meet with Percy. No, he remembered, his father said he would stay and finally, Draco insisted… his father's rough notes, he should read them.

"We need a vial to extract my memories," he asked Drexel. He was now thinking of a robbery.

That evening, he got ready to go to Hermione. Magnolia was in her basket, he had flowers for her mother, and pralines for the family. He dressed with much care.

He arrived at Hermione's house, a bit nervous. He had to wonder, his father should have come by here, he would have wanted the union, or maybe not. Hermione's obviously had powers they lacked, but his father would have looked down on them, he was blind.

Or maybe not, He found out his father had done research on the parents. His father had written a note, _who was the fool, traded fool's gold for Draco. What have I done? I was the fool thrice, should have fough_t …What did it mean? Some argument, his parents fought before the tragedy, he needed a vial. His mind was foggy.

Hermione had spoken with her parents. Pansy was worth looking into. Something about her was off.

"We can leave. But I want to be here for a while, and you know what happened. With Rose gone, we have less than a year for me to have another child. It can take longer. The child has to be from a female." She told her parents. They told her to do what she thought right.

Hermione wore men's trousers, the same as her mother. They both wore short tunics. The owls stood on her shoulders, but Hera flew to Draco, caressed his neck, and flew back to her.

Everyone laughed, Draco said, "They are only visiting." Still, he suspected that it wasn't right, the laughter confirmed it. Magnolia started purring and jumped on Hermione's lap. More laughter, he assumed that Magnolia was staying as well.

"I guess that you have a Kneazle, she likes dogs." Draco rolled his eyes.

Affirmations all around agreed with him. Snide comments about the pet thief, made him smile, he had lost his pets in a couple of hours.

He looked around. They were in a different room. Modern, but elegant. Odd sculptures, paintings, and family photographs, the pictures were surreal. Though he knew this must be from wherever they came thick forests, unusual color skies with many moons, the landscapes changing, somewhere else.

Several males brought in a spread. They were followed by Hermione's brother, the Hermione look alike but with straighter hair and two curly hair tall men. Every male was over two meters, it seemed. One was from earlier, the one who had caught him touching Hermione.

"My fathers, Elija and Jong Granger, they are twin brothers; my mother Eudosi, my brother Eloy and Hugo and Teddy."

Draco cringed, her father was the one who had caught him fondling his daughter.

"Hello, cousin." Teddy was reserved. Today his hair was blue, he was at home, and everyone seemed open and friendly. He saw a younger woman in her 30s, pregnant, pink hair, with a little girl with pink hair, she looked familiar.

Draco wanted to ask why two fathers.

Jong must have guessed, "Eudosi couldn't make up her mind, she was a bit of a flirt. But females are scarce, and we often have poly-families. So, we decided to do as she wished. We'll explain further; we discovered that our females will usually have at least one or two females when they have human partners. In our daughter's case, She will share her blood with other of our females, so will her daughter, and the other females' chances to have a daughter, increase." He stopped for a second.

"She told you that we couldn't find traces of either your son or Rose. It makes us hopeful. But whatever happened, might not be what you expect. Was Rose dead? Are you certain? By the way, your father seems to be gone."

"They were, or they appeared to be dead; the explosion killed them their bodies were mangled."

"Ah, I see."

Draco had made a copy of the vial with his memory, to give to them. "I made this, a memory of that day."

"Thanks, we will watch it. Maybe we can see something."

They went out for a walk, a small pack of dogs and the owls went with them, "Your dogs? There are at least ten."

"No, only the Mucky and Mossy are mine. The others belong to Eloy, my brother, Teddy, Hugo, and two of the guards. They get upset, but animals like me, most living creatures do. They call me the Fairy Queen and the pet thief. The dogs love their fathers but love to walk, okay," she grinned, "and to follow me, the truth be told."

"I see, I noticed. You look beautiful," Draco held her hand and kissed it, "You smell like hope," he said, holding her palm against his mouth. They walked into a forest path.

He stopped and pulled her to him, "I have never kissed my bride to be."

He bent, and she raised her arms. His lips barely touched hers. It wasn't enough, She awakened a hidden need, a hunger for something. His cock went up, he wanted her warmth around it. Nonetheless, he tried to pull away, it was too soon. Maybe not, her lips opened slowly, but before he could deepen his kiss, she said.

"Did you know we are not alone," Hermione stayed holding him.

"We aren't?"

"No, we have guards all around us whenever we are outdoors, too many unknowns. Now that I am the MoM, it is worse."

"Ah," he kissed her ear, "sorry, this is a little strange, but I feel at peace. I have a feeling of being home. I was happy with Tory, but she left me long ago, in her diary she said she was disgusted when I was with her." His hand caressed her back.

"With you?" Hermione was surprised, Draco was, well, he was a beautiful wizard. Her mother and other females agreed with her assessment.

"Yes, I was a way to riches for her, my mother did the same to my father."

"People do things that hurt others, but they can neither see the pain they cause nor do they care."

"They do, but you won't hurt me, and I will not hurt you either." Draco held her closer, feeling better, feeling hope, feeling desire. He thanked whoever had brought her into his arms. She relaxed and pressed her head against his chest.

She was also at peace and felt better than she had in days. The faces of the hidden guards, all around them, relaxed, the gloom from the last weeks, gone. This was the perk of guarding Hermione and her mother; their happiness, joy, peace, and other good feelings were shared by all those around them. Only the best were selected to guard them, it was a coveted job. Too bad no guards had gone with Rose, they could gave prevented the murder, the tragedy. But for now, there was hope.


	5. Revelations

Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

a/n let yourself be heard if you like this story.

* * *

**Revelations**

They walked back the dogs following them. The owls were perched on Hermione's shoulders,

The one watching them was unhappy. Had he seen her with another human? No, no, no, it was his turn. He had been promised since ever.

When Hermione and Draco were almost at the house, the dogs growled. The owls were all aware, making little sounds.

Time to show up, enough is enough, naughty promised; a cloaked person materialized.

"I come in friendliness," the cloaked person announced.

In seconds they were surrounded by guards, out of nowhere.

The cloaked person uncovered his head. Hermione had heard of him, but had never seen him, or maybe yes, long ago.

Vortex was perfection, but for his hair and eyes, the eyes were colorless with colored rims that fluctuated continuously, from one color to the next. His hair grew and then was short, his eyes seemed to have a life of their own, the pupils looked strange in some turns.

Besides that, he was like her parents and brother, too perfect. Draco thought, remembering his son. _Scorpio said the entire student body was in love with Hugo and Rose. Scorpio joked and said that for a while, he couldn't decide on which one to choose, it was a toss. Lucius was utterly disgusted; "A ponce, at least you chose Rose." Scorpio laughed, he loved to make his grandfather angry, he had winked at Draco. Both had laughed until Lucius figured out they were playing with him. Sometimes he would laugh with them. This time he had._

Draco stood, observing the stranger.

"My lady, I am Vortex." He did a courtly bow, very formal. He dressed similar to Hermione's family, but for the metallic looking vest.

"Yes, I suspected so. Your brothers, ahem, your cousins, 'the brothers,' talk about you often enough." Hermione was curt.

He sneered, "My cousins always wanting what is mine. My real brothers alerted me. They have known forever. I never had a female, waiting for you. Even if my mother's family believes otherwise. It is what it is, they are snobs. They call my father an almost-demon, and they think I have females everywhere. No others, you are the one for me. It will happen."

One of the guards alarmed the main home.

All Granger males and Teddy showed. Then her mother. The Granger's all held strange cylinders.

"Why are you here?"

"Why? Because I was promised that when the human was gone, she would be my bride. I've waited since ever. "

"That was assuming a long life span, not now, she just lost her husband. There..."

"I can speak for myself. I never promised. When was I asked." Hermione was fuming.

"No, you didn't, but your grandparents did when you were very young. Besides, I did them a favor I would regret to take back. What do you see on him? He is puny nothing," he looked at Draco like he was dirt.

"Here is the favor," he waved his hand, and they saw Rose and Scorpio on beds or what must be a bed, they both dressed alike, their bodies didn't quite touch. In another bed, lay Lucius Malfoy, he seemed dead as well.

They were all. Still, nobody was moving.

"How?" Hermione asked.

"I was moving your daughter and his son seconds after the second explosion took them away. Their mortal bodies were damaged, but neither of the pair is no longer human. The pair has to stay like this for several cycles, I think three of your years. their life here is ended, but they didn't die, it was close, coming back might kill them." He turned to Draco.

"The young male, your son, wasn't entirely human, as I said he is a Guardian." He looked at Draco, "You have a suppressed being, a guardian of the gates. Someone interested in weakening the Portals did it. Perhaps, he/she used humans."

He turned towards Hermione, "By the way, I saved his father, the other guardian. He could be returned. But right now, he is unwell and angry. He wants to come and kill many. No, he didn't do it."

He looked at Draco, "He wanted the union. He said he wishes you had married my one, I didn't like his statement. She is mine, Ermi is mine, forget about her, it would be best. It is my recommendation."

"But why couldn't you move them?" Hermione's father asked.

"The second explosion was a result of moving the bodies. It was rigged, made so nobody would escape death."

Hermione and her mother held each other, Rose was alive.

Draco was frozen, his father and son alive. He couldn't talk. A guardian, so it was faithful. Many called them Veelas, but that was wrong. Veelas was a misnomer for males, Veelas were harpies, sirens. But others had similitudes to Veelas. The Dark Lord had influenced his grandfather, he probably had a hand on the death of his father's grandmother. He didn't want guardians. Why not? Was there an old portal? Something to allow him to come back from the dead?

Vortex heard Hermione, "Darling, your child is alive, but cannot come back; she would die."

"Maybe later, you could try. Maybe go back a few seconds?" Hermione begged.

"Maybe, one can do a lot for one's bride. You know it took me a very long time to save my mother. Saving two is harder. I cannot prevent the explosion, too many lives."

"Why couldn't you take them out?" Hermione was losing it.

"Someone else blocked my movement, I tried, but I could have killed them. Then a second explosion was a result of moving the bodies. It was rigged, made so nobody would escape death."

"Who blocked you." Her father asked.

"I don't know, it was the same with my mother. It took me many cycles to bring her back. We still don't know. I think this was all about your daughter. Although his father thinks it is bigger than that. Whoever wished for all the Malfoy to be dead, something in the house. Perhaps a portal, and more."

"But that whoever wanted to keep all employees and maybe me. Who?"

Her father answered, "No idea, but maybe wanted you dead as well, too many ifs."

"I cannot leave. I will honor the commitment in three decades, but I will marry Draco, here. He comes as well. I lost too much already."

"Done, my dear. I must go. My brothers all share a spouse; it is not a problem. They like it. It has its advantages." For once, he smiled, "I have no experience. But I am ready to learn." He grinned, staring at her intently and just disappeared.

Hermione ignored him. She was annoyed that he was so dazzling when he smiled.

"Why couldn't he save them. Who blocked him?" It was everyone's question.

"And the twins? Offer them, my future daughter. Vortex hates them. They are his half-brothers from a lover before he met his bride, Vortex's mother. They despise Vortex because they think he is the favorite. They are right, he is. His other brothers accept the fact. Vortex refuses to accept them, and calls them cousins."

"Darling Vortex is a strange cold being. Seeing his mother torn to pieces when he was seven was a shocker, his mother had human blood, but she was from the high realms. Her people didn't want the union, his family, you know where they come from, from the worlds of the dead. Now that he brought her back, he worries about her. He wants to find the killers."

**The Weasley**

Draco had a big revelation, it came from Molly. She was still a beautiful woman, but grief had taken its toll. Hermione embraced her. Draco began to see her. He wanted his father's happiness, maybe it was possible. He could share his youth.

"You look so much like Lucius," she smiled wryly, "I will tell you an old story. Maybe someone should know it. First, you should know I learned to love my husband, he was a good person. But I wasn't his first choice." She hesitated. Draco worried, his mother?

"My mother?"

"Close, But no, your aunt Bella. She was better back then." She lowered her voice, Don't tell anyone, but I always thought Bella had a child with him, perhaps he or she died, no way to tell. Arthur was too weak, and they weren't allowed. He was 5 years older than her. I think they might have lovers until the end, I don't know. I often found traces of her, he and she would have died if discovered."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "It is true, I found the hidden letters and pictures. Poor Arthur, a doomed love." Molly dried the tears that wouldn't stop.

"When Bella died, Arthur took care of her body. Ron saw him and asked me if I had killed Bella because of Arthur. We cried for Fred, but Arthur's sobs broke my heart, he cried for his Bella. He kept her grave clean. Maybe they are together. I hope so. Bella had a bad life."

Draco just went for it, "So how did you two meet, my father and you?"

"When I was 16, I was invited to the Yule Ball by a 13-year-old, the most beautiful wizard ever, tall, and well, he looked like an angel. I accepted the heart doesn't see the age difference. At this point, it would no longer matter. What are the three years?"

Draco nodded, he had already found a stash of photos of Lucius and Molly. Draco thought that his father must have hired someone to take their pictures. Lucius and Molly were a beautiful couple. He had never seen his father that happy, never. They looked like young lovers, only with eyes for each other. He even had pictures of Molly in a wedding dress, many of them. Draco cried, he could see tear stains in many of the photographs, it broke his heart. He had an entire collection, Lucius had followed her life. No wonder his mother had fallen for Harry; Draco cried for both of them. Thinking of his stoic father crying made him sad.

"My father."

She blushed, "Yes, I accepted, but your grandfather was there and forbade your father to see me again…we still saw each other, right till the day I married, it was hopeless. I cannot tell you more, it is too personal. He hated me when I married Arthur. But, it was a silly dream. He came into my room, right before I married, it broke my heart. We cried together, it was awful. I nearly ran away with him. But how could I? Your father was 16 when I married, it was an impossible dream," her voice shook, with this Draco knew the truth, Molly still loved his father.

"Lucius made sure that Arthur went nowhere. Until Hermione, we had a difficult life. Occasionally your father would visit when Arthur was away and begged me to run away. I couldn't, but I was often tempted. He offered to help my children, but now my children all work with Hermione's parents. Your father asked me, not long ago, why did I stay with Arthur, I asked him to let me live my life. I told him that whenever I was near him, my heart bled. Please, don't come again, I begged. He said, how could he live without seeing me; Lucius said that he felt dead inside." Tears were flowing out her eyes, "I lost Arthur and Lucius the same day."

"Ah, if you had a chance, would you take it?"

"I guess we will never know I think he planned this forever to kill my family. Once I dreamed, it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy knowing how unhappy he was, it tore my heart."

Draco wasn't so sure his father had done it. He had loved Molly and wouldn't have hurt her so.

He had a box for her, he made copies of the pictures, she caressed the pictures with her finger. "We were so very young," her voice was soft and sad.

Draco gave her a small pouch, "He bought this for you long ago, you should have it."

Molly opened it. She pulled out an emerald set on a wide band shaped like a snake. Inside the ring, it said, "My Molly-love eternal, LM," when you looked at it, the words appeared over the ring.

Quietly she put it on her finger, "I had it before. I gave it back to him before I married." She just sat to look at the pictures, crying.

Draco said goodbye, but she wasn't listening. He knew it, Molly had been his father's lover, probably forever. His eyes filled with tears.

Hermione was crying as well, "What a tragedy. I hope there is a chance for them, what happened?

"My great-grandmother was found dead in the gardens. Her husband died of grief. Abraxas, my grandfather, on Voldemort's advice, froze the being inside. Now, I think that Voldemort had ulterior motives. I think you can help me research, will you?"

All of a sudden Draco realized who his aunt was, she was with one of the giants, the small girl with the pink hair was his cousin. He had a family. Her husband was exotic looking, and clearly in love. She looked younger than him, but he didn't look his age either. He smiled, he had an aunt, a cousin, and a second cousin.

That night, they sat by the fire at Malfoy Manor. Hermione had moved in; her brother, son, and Teddy would follow.

"Ermi, many of the jewels are gone, father would have never given them away, something is going on, and Pansy had the promise ring."

"Rose was wearing it. I didn't want to tell you. Maybe they were first robbed, then killed."

"Who is her lover?"

"A wealthy Wizard. He moved from Australia around ten years ago."

Magnolia sat on Hermione purring, the dogs lay by her. The owls sat right behind her, Draco smiled, his Fey Queen. L'Roy stood watching, "_You are lucky, I have a mind to make myself know, you would be surprised, but I don't poach. My brothers married Princesses and queens. Maybe your daughter will marry me, one of them. You will have several. I can see that."_

Draco ignored him.

"So Molly and your dad. Arthur and Bella, a child?"

"Yes, Black Manor is mine. I was going to give it to my son. But, We should find out if there is a Black child. It should go to her. It has been closed all these years, or maybe to Teddy. Not sure. "How old would the child be? Let's talk to my aunt."

"I would say much older than us, older than Bill."

Draco couldn't think past his groin. Her proximity was making me feel odd. He wanted to forget all the horrors inside her body.

"So you are a guardian; I don't understand the allegiance to such evil wizard as the Dark Lord.

"I don't really know about the guardians. My grandfather blocked all his descendants. My grandfather didn't want his fate for us. Maybe that explains it, or maybe not. What am I?'

Hermione's hand moved, in front, he saw someone reminding him of an Angel, sort of, but for the dark countenance. An angel with dark wings and clawed hands. He was dressed like him, and a long vest made out something like a light metal, he had weapons everywhere.

"Wow," Draco said.


	6. A suitor-

Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

a.n. Due to the lack of interest, I will have a quick wrap up. I liked the story, but the readers decide.

* * *

Draco and love

After her comment about the guardian children, she wondered. Had Rose died because of that?

She would check later.

He looked mischievous, "Affinity, eh? What is that? But before you answer, you were always my choice, but I knew it was unrealistic because of my parents. Remember what Scorpio said when he saw Rose, "My dolly." I had the same thought when I saw you, a tiny doll, for me, I said that to myself, "My dolly, mine." When I saw that Potty and Weasley were your friends, it made me angry.

She blushed, "I felt it the first time when you were hiding, I didn't like it."

"And now," he wrapped his arm and lowered his head.

"Just a tiny kiss. It is a requirement, but why Vortex?"

"He still wants to find his mother's enemies. His father thinks that those who want her gone will do it again. She is in peril. Besides, we also control the gates, and they would have free passage to be able to find the enemies."

"He is a beautiful being. I think he would be hard to resist."

"I guess we have powers that make Magic look like child's play. But his are beyond ours, much more."

"My parents think the brothers, his half-brothers, want me for a more noble reason, happiness."

He didn't ask, he bent and raised her chin. Both kissed at the same time. He was lost, her mouth made him hungry for more. Both wanted the same, their tongues touched, Draco moaned.

He reached and picked her up. She straddled his lap and sat on top of his hard cock. It felt right. His hips arched, wanting more contact. He could feel her heat. His hands went over her bum. His fingers went under her tunic inside her trousers, moved to caress her bum, searching,

She moved over his hard cock while their mouths made love. She wanted him; she ached, wanting him.

When he touched outside of her wet sex, both cried, he slid his finger in her, moving it around, feeling flutters; as she slid her hand in his trousers.

A cough stopped them, crossed legged, up, above the ground, on the air. Vortex stared at them, his hands were under his chin, his eyes were half-closed, his lips semi-opened. He looked aroused.

"I am changing my mind about waiting, my choice is a maybe. Not that I came to be a spy, just to bring a message. Your father, whoever you are a young male, the guardian said that he was nobody's lover. He said he had only loved once. He didn't even like, the Pansy female; he said she was a nasty piece."

He turned to look at Hermione, "I like kissing, it is different. Your lips against mine are, I don't know, your tongue is, not sure." He looked softer, "My body is alive, all over, a first, I like it. No, not like, I want it." He put his fingers to his nose then his mouth, he sighed, "Delightful, smells and tastes like ambrosia. I think I will keep a close eye on you, I have too many enemies. Hence, I cannot be blamed if I am around when you are with him. I want to see you often. It is my right."

He narrowed his eyes, looking at a pin she wore.

The 'pin' batted its lashes, the pin was a tiny snake-like dragon. Vortex growled nastily.

Hermione jumped from Draco's lap. "I haven't given permission to share, and you speak a lot about rights, what about mine?"

"No, stay there, don't move. I like it." Vortex complained, he whined.

"Not while you are around."

Draco was confused.

Vortex was firm, "You accepted to be my wife, it is my right to share. Didn't you know? Too bad, I cannot see our future Union. It sounds quite intriguing. By the way, I don't like that pin, it looks too much like a nasty evil creature, his name is Grandior." The 'pin 'stuck a snake tongue out, making Vortex grit his teeth. His father was underhanded, granting him zero privacy.

"I do; it was a gift. It came from your father," Hermione could see that he knew.

"What do you mean sharing and father," Draco insisted.

"He has a father, and yes, I know him."

"Ah, you know his father, wow, and the part about sharing?

"Ah, Vortex moves thru time. And the share, well, I will explain later."

Vortex smiled again, Hermione was dazzled, he was hard to define; no wonder she felt something, but she didn't like him. He was arrogant and freezing.

His father gave her the pin, "Never, ever take it off, Vortex is sly. The pin will stop him from misbehaving." The brothers, his cousins, were hardly better, but the war had to end. They wanted at least one of the top females, one had to be either her mother or herself. Rose had too much human for their taste. Many wanted brides for their children. Not only her family controlled the portals but gave much happiness, dispelling the dark around them. Being the caretakers of the dead was a difficult job. As for Vortex, who knew? Darn, so immature.

"Quit licking your finger, so, agh, it is just, forget it," Hermione was about to lose it with this. Ignore him her common sense told her, "Sorry Draco, he is, whatever. In a union with two husbands, one feels what the other does, when in proximity."

Vortex just sat watching, a smile set on his face. He liked angering the tasty female. His parents were right; the females from this family were perfect. He felt happier than ever. He had tried going forth on time to see her, and it was impossible. It wasn't bad, it meant she would be his.

"Ah," Draco could see in the realm of possibilities. He wanted more kisses, but they needed to talk.

"Pansy, we need to talk to her."

"That would be a waste of time, we need to read her. But about the jewels, maybe they were a payment."

"Wait, something bothers me, we are guardians, but I don't know of a gate." Draco kissed her hand, her scent went to his cock. Vortex grinned, and Draco exhaled. Draco wanted her badly. Vortex nodded.

She nodded, it was the smoke, to confuse them.

"We need your father, he can help. Why kill all the Malfoy?" Hermione asked Draco.

Hermione asked Vortex.

"Let his father come back, but first, he needs to promise not to go in a killing rampage."

"If I do that, what will you do for me? Of course, if we have a more relaxed contract, I wouldn't deny my spouse-to-be anything. With me you will never have to worry about any other females. Till now, I felt nothing, other females are just that, not you."

Draco asked suspiciously, "What do you mean more relaxed?

"Yes, what do you mean." Hermione was obviously annoyed.

"I mean, prickly future bride of mine, you would not be upset when I drop in and find you with your human, you will not stop whatever you are doing."

"What kind of deal is that? You are forcing your presence in my private life."

"I could request you honor the agreement now. I hardly need your approval. Ask your parents, I can visit whenever. The peace is tenuous, and your daughters are wanted and needed. If your daughter can breed, even more. But yours are the best." He stared at her. He could see her boiling up. Her temper was refreshing, he was usually non-caring, nothing moved him. He was perfect for her, and he knew it.

Draco tapped her. He kind of liked the idea, maybe it went both ways. Vortex winked. He heard a voice, 'It goes both ways.'

"I am sure he'll not abuse the privilege." He asked Vortex, "You will leave us alone, mostly?"

"What is mostly?" Vortex asked, not willing to concede. He looked at her pin that wasn't moving.

Hermione felt angry, "Fine, I agree, it isn't as if I have a choice."

She was showered with tiny flowers and an explosion of lights. Vortex did a flip in the air, then fell on a knee dressed like a knight of the realms with his princely crown, a circle of light.

"My lady," Vortex took Hermione's hand a put a bracelet around, the most exquisite item Draco had seen. It was a band of light adorned with gems, small representations of the three of them in a garden.

Nobody saw Grandior disappeared and come back in a blink. Celebrations were underway within minutes at Vortex's parents.

Hermione admired the bracelet when she noticed that she had no way to take it off. She huffed, no sense in fighting.

Before you go off let us look around she called her guards, Drexel and his brothers came along.

Vortex offered his arm gallantly but first tapped Draco's forehead. "You'll see. Did you know the guardians came from the high realms? My mother is somewhat related to the guardians, some rungs higher. I am part one. Which is the reason I can travel easier."

Hermione was more than annoyed, Vortex felt good. She melted at his touch. He made her burn. She wanted both, now she understood her mother.

"You cannot show up at will. We have many friends, who have no idea who we are. I have meetings here at home."

Vortex was actually floating in the air, his feet didn't touch the ground. Smiling non-stop.

"Whatever you wish, my prickly almost-bride."

Draco guffawed such a powerful being acting silly. They would get along. He asked the giant, one more around tiny Hermione, "So what do you think of her," Draco held her hand tighter.

"When I saw her first, she was learning to walk, I thought she was a tiny doll. I thanked my parents for my tiny doll. She still is. At the time, at my parents house, she allowed me to pick her up, she even gave me a slobbery little kiss. Which, surprisingly I liked. Yes, I wanted my tiny doll, but I was told I didn't have long to wait. A tiny doll," he sighed.

Draco chuckled, "Yes, she is."

"It is not my fault, a quirk, males giant, females tiny." She was huffing.

"Because your wings are different, so fragile; so pretty, like my mother's."

"Wings?" Draco looked at her with great interest.

"Alas, we all have them, mine is like yours will be; cousin. We might be cousins thru my mother."

"Ah, yes, I saw the book. Interesting, flying on my own. Follow me, to the old part of the manor. Many's rooms are closed. Some have old curses, dangerous."

Hermione was looking carefully, Vortex saw something irregular.

"There, at the end."

"An old stairway."

"Maybe."

The closer they got, the less they could see the stairway. Then it was just an empty room.

Vortex looked in a satchel, on his shoulder, he pulled out a small ball and threw it.

The head of a demonic creature came out the door to intercept the ball that exploded. Guts and pieces flew all over the place. The stink was terrible.

Vortex had formed a cover over all of them.

"What was that?" Draco asked.

"That is a gate, one breaking down. That might be one of the reasons someone wants the place to use it, or it is already in use."

"A gate where?"

"Not to a good place. We all might dislike each other, but know better, some accesses are undesirable . Someone wants to control gates. This world has many gates to many for thousands of years. It is a long story. But I think that is not what someone wants." Vortex answered.

'"No, There are other easier to access. More than a gate?"

"Bride?"

Hermione nodded, she opened her hand, the hallway filled with light, light that formed a wall sealing the entrance once and for all.

Drexel and Axiom can help to make the seal tight.

"Hermione knows how to close the gates. Her family controls the gates she sealed one. Only they can do it. But that wasn't a portal, only a passage to who knows where. We can still look later."

"My dear, almost bride, I must go. I need to visit my parents with the news."

"What news?"

"That we are to be married, eventually. My parents want my children," He waggled his eyebrows, and need to bring your father once I am sure he won't come to kill. I will be back my angry bride, feel free to do whatever with your human. He is my cousin, I trust him."

He was gone.

Hermione looked at Draco, "I dislike him, he blackmailed me. Now that I accepted, he can impose the times when he comes. I don't trust him. He used my child to get to me."

Draco didn't say otherwise; he was about to laugh, but he knew better, "My son is alive because of him, my father lives. He is not that bad. We need to see Pansy, Blaise won't let us." Draco's imagination was getting away from him, imagining the games they could play until he saw her face, she looked unhappy. She could read him.

As I was saying, "Blaise won't let anyone see Pansy."

"We don't need his permission. But I never been there. Just think of the house, and I'll do the rest."

L'Roy spoke onto her head. "My lady, Let me come, we don't want bad surprises."

Hermione nodded.

Pansy saw them. She said that it wasn't possible and was going to scream.

Hermione walked to her. She touched her, and Pansy was frozen.

She had a block on her memories, but Hermione couldn't go past it.

"It is a block made by who knows, it feels evil."

Behind them, a real giant stood. His hair was long, bright white, his skin was red, but as other males, Draco had seen, a perfect male beauty, but for the yellow eyes, and short, what was it? Not horns, maybe not, they looked like something else.

He dressed all in white. _[_, Hermione thought, she wished her mother could see him.

L'Roy's face was hard, "You are L'roy?" Draco asked, worried he might want Hermione.

"Yes," the deep voice answered.

"Wow, why the owl?" Draco wondered.

"My other form, we cannot morph. Let me, my lady."

Hermione bowed, he was hot.

He placed his hand on Pansy's head, she looked terrified.

"I see her showing a group of masked people plans to Malfoy Manor. She stole the from the Malfoy library long ago. She is pregnant from a male I cannot see his face hidden on the shadows. Wait."

L'Roy pointed his wrist, a light revealed a false wall, Draco nearly screamed when he opened the cases. Inside were all the stolen jewels.

"L'Roy, tell us why? Why did she help?"

"Payment, Astoria had talked about them a lot. Your wife didn't suppose to die; nobody did. She was used. She helped with the planning. Her mind has been erased, as I looked, memories have disappeared, they are no longer there."

"Let's take the jewels." Hermione touched Pansy and pulled a small coin near her ear.

"A recorder, look," when Hermione touched it blended with her skin.

"Why?"

"No idea. I will listen to the recorder." Blaise was knocking, "Pansy, come down, the Aurors are here."

In the next second, they were back at Malfoy Manor.

"My family died because of her greed, but Astoria helped. They killed us to get to the house? why?"

"They looked like modern Death Eaters," Hermione observed, she had seen Draco's memories.

L'Roy was back to his owl form. Draco realized he was no competition for any of the males around Hermione.

"My parents are coming tonight, invite the three Mountain Gargoyle brothers. They are our people, we lost them long ago. You will be surprised."

Draco wanted to kill Pansy, the pain of the dead lives, over money. His unhappy mother, the Weasley, his son, dead to this world. Over jewels.

Two cloaked guests arrived with the family. The brothers stood frozen when the guest lowered their of their females, the ones lost forever. They had been told their females would come thru a female from the Malfoy house. They were not their spouses, but they knew each other.

"You live?" The brothers all said at the same time.

"We looked everywhere after we were rescued. Not many of us are left, only 16 of us survived, the others were murdered for refusing our captors."

"Our Lady," the three brothers, the Mountain Gargoyles, kneeled again, "we will fight as we always have. My lords," they kneeled by her parents.

"We must leave if we stay long in here we will be found, now you know we live. Soon, we will be together."

Draco said, "There is a safe place. At the Malfoy island," he explained. Moments later, they were gone.

The brothers had been given a new lease on life. From a world of thousands, only 75 survived, but now there was hope.

Hermione explained what they had learned.

Her parents all said, "Pansy must pay."

"Yes, but we need to know. I think that it is about the Death Eaters. Maybe Voldemort left something here."


End file.
